Rug up in Morocco

Berber rugs are probably the most beautiful in the world. And if you have to leave your clothes behind to cram one in your luggage - then do it!

Gorgeous triangular shapes, or intricate patterns with amazing craftsmanship, the rugs are a serious bit of class in your house. Best of all, they can be quite affordable.  You can approach one of the countless market stalls or studiously avoid them and still end up buying one.

The art of the hustler is to get you to buy a rug when you really don't want to. He knows if he annoys you long enough you will eventually buy the rug just to get rid of him. You still end up with a beautiful rug but have maybe paid ten times the value. Who knows? One tip: ask the price first. Most rugs don't have a marked price.  So you ask the price and they reply: "How much have you got?" A trap. Don't answer. Just demand the price of the individual rug. Because they ALWAYS try to sell up and get the last cent out of your pocket.

The rug seller will insist that the minute multicoloured lines running through the carpet actually tells the family history of the person who made it. Straight away you have images of ancient Morocco with caravans in the desert, monkeys dancing at oases and exotic belly dancers with a twinkle in their eye. Well okay, maybe we had had a beer too many. Anyway, to hell with the family history -  the rugs just look nice. Even if they were made in a sweatshop around the corner.